Did mind originate from matter or vice-versa?
If you listen to the scientists at the forefront of such inquiries into the mysteries of nature, the current explanation being offered is, of course mind comes from matter, and it is just a matter of mathematics to bridge this gap (watch the video below where Nobel Laureate physicist Frank Wilczek of MIT, explains this concept to Brian Greene, another celebrated physicist from Columbia University). But is such an explanation complete or is this premise to be challenged further? We will begin by first reviewing our current understanding of the nature of all matter in the universe, pose rational queries on known shortfalls in our understanding, and finally inquire if we must be seeking to understand whether mind is the source of all matter.
Our collective understanding of matter is firmly built upon particle physics, where all matter as we know it in the universe started with the big bang. An infinitely dense form of matter or energy blew up at time zero, namely the big bang, and has since been the source of all matter in our currently expanding universe. At the most fundamental atomic level, all matter is made up of massive protons and neutrons, being held together by strong nuclear forces between basic particles carrying specks of energy, such as quarks. Once we firmly establish this notion of fundamental particles making up all matter, living or non-living, we can rely on evolution to start its magic of creating biological matter from single celled organisms to complex multi-cellular living beings. Life as we know it, has evolved over four billion years on earth, resulting in present day intelligent species such as humans. In a nutshell, the human mind is thus an outcome of matter, made up of atoms at the most fundamental level with sparks of energy making up the atomic nucleus of nerve cells.
However, if we were to ask questions like 'How did the big bang start?' or 'What existed prior to the big bang?', science is unable to answer, as of yet. A tantalizingly rational but speculative proposal is offered by Professor Avi Loeb of Harvard University, in his dialog with Professor Sean Carrol of Caltech in a Mindscape podcast. Audio snippet is attached below capturing Dr. Loeb's hypothesis regarding how we came to exist in this universe:
Dr. Loeb rationally argues that if human civilization progresses to a point where we are able to create a baby universe in the laboratory, we will be creating another 'big bang' that will materialize in a new universe, which in turn will be capable of creating yet another advanced civilization that is capable of creating a new baby universe, and the cycle marches on !
From Dr. Loeb's eloquent rationale, do we then accept the possibility that mind indeed creates matter, and that all of creation is an artifact of consciousness and intellect advancing to a state of being able to produce infinitely dense matter that spawns a mini universe from a brand new 'big bang' ?
Yet another data point that we can use for this purpose is the current understanding of the make up of our own universe. Scientists believe that only 5% of our universe is 'visible' in the sense that we are able to attribute the universe's total mass to observable matter in the universe. The remaining 95% of our universe is 'invisible' largely made up of dark matter (around 25%) and the more mysterious dark energy (70%).
Given that we are yet to understand 95% of our own universe, do we turn to philosophical thinking to perhaps speculate that phenomena such as dark energy and dark matter are un-manifest forms of a force that is yet to be scientifically discovered or even observed? Could such a force be the 'Brahman' as per Indic thought or point to universal consciousness that is separate and apart from matter and the human mind? Could all matter as well as the mind be an artifact of such an un-manifest force, thereby nullifying the debate between matter and mind?
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